Above 1200 Sq/FT Blackbyrds Basement

[loganb]

Merry Christmas! Don't forget to put some bows on some tools or body parts to make you feel better!

 

[Blackbyrd]

Merry Christmas to you Logan!

Hope all of my garage friends had a great day with family!

I did get some tools from the inlaws!

If all goes well tomorrow I'll some new pics to share as well!

 

[Blackbyrd]

Today was a big day!

My friend who's a body guy stopped by to help line this up. So glad to have a skilled second set of hands on days like today. (Plus the in action shot)

Feels like a car again even though there's so much left to do still, this is the last major patch repair I'm aware of.

Now time to go slow and stitch it in fully.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Ended up with a 24hr bug the next day....... slep5 for 13 hrs during the day then still went to bed at 1030. Killer headache, back pain, and drainage. Yuck!

Bounced back the next day though, couldn't set around anymore so I fiddlefarted in the shop and fixed my Zl1 intake.

The more I work on this car I've decided one of the previous owners was cheap as all hell.... which is a shame considering the car. The exhaust was a hack job, and the "rotofab" intake it had on it when i got it was missing a lot of the rotorab parts.... infact the only thing I can confirm was rotofabs was the maf tube and the air box. The filter wasn't (unless the used unbranded ones at some point) and it retained the factory tubing between the maf and throttle body. It takes a lot to make me mad, but being a cheap *** on a really nice car is a massive pet peave

So for half the price of a new one I bought a used one from a local guy really just wanting the missing plumbing, but then learned it was all kind of janky...... now i just need to detail the engine bay

Before and after below

 

[Bob Heine]

Adam, I don't understand someone paying for premium aftermarket parts and somehow not installing all of them. Maybe people half-*** a mod because it's a little more work.

I shopped for a CAI for my PT Cruiser and almost all of them included some tubing and a filter but located the filter in the engine compartment right behind the radiator. The stock intake box pulled air in from the chamber in front of the fender liner so it was already pulling cold air. I ended up with a sheet metal walled replacement lid with the filter that looks a lot like your Roto-Fab setup. The stock plumbing from the turbo to the filter looked like it came out of a vacuum cleaner with its corrugated turbo outlet adapter. I had to make the turbo runner myself from bits and pieces. Because it had some holes in the side of the air box next to the fender, I removed a section of the hood weather strip. Not sure how much outside air gets thrhough there but I suspect every little bit counts on a turbo. When I was done, it sure felt peppier and sounded better as well. Bigger exhaust and a Stage 1 ECM turned the car into something that surprised a lot of kids who thought their V6 Mustang was the be-all, end-all.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Adam, I don't understand someone paying for premium aftermarket parts and somehow not installing all of them. Maybe people half-*** a mod because it's a little more work.

I shopped for a CAI for my PT Cruiser and almost all of them included some tubing and a filter but located the filter in the engine compartment right behind the radiator. The stock intake box pulled air in from the chamber in front of the fender liner so it was already pulling cold air. I ended up with a sheet metal walled replacement lid with the filter that looks a lot like your Roto-Fab setup. The stock plumbing from the turbo to the filter looked like it came out of a vacuum cleaner with its corrugated turbo outlet adapter. I had to make the turbo runner myself from bits and pieces. Because it had some holes in the side of the air box next to the fender, I removed a section of the hood weather strip. Not sure how much outside air gets thrhough there but I suspect every little bit counts on a turbo. When I was done, it sure felt peppier and sounded better as well. Bigger exhaust and a Stage 1 ECM turned the car into something that surprised a lot of kids who thought their V6 Mustang was the be-all, end-all.

I don't understand it either Bob. If it re routed the I take inlet somewhere else I get that, but in this case it's all the factory location... it seals to the hood and takes advantage of some duct work at the upper grille on the bumper to get gold air from outside the car. It didn't use the grommets to hold it in place either?! Just put bolts dowles through oversized holes and has one anchor bolt at the bottom. I get mad just thinking about how poorly this was installed. It's all fixed now.... maybe I'll even get some better performance out of it haha. Or atleast more blower whine haha.

Oh I'd imagine you terrorized the kiddos with there v6 stangs.... probably could disappoint the 4.6's oder that era as well....

When my firebird was still a v6 (3.8 liter) it came stock with 3.42 gears and that 4 speed auto. I'd done a few Bolt ons to it it actually dynoed 200 flat at thr wheels which was the cars factory base rating and but down 225ftlbs of trq. Which in that era was good numbers for a 3300lbs car. I say all that to say I walked away from making few 4.6 cars and that disappointed look on their face at the next light was always funny. No hiding a 3.8 once you put an exhaust on it. They have a uniquely terrible rasp after 2500rpm haha.

 

[Bob Heine]

Oh I'd imagine you terrorized the kiddos with there v6 stangs.... probably could disappoint the 4.6's oder that era as well....

I also put a Diablo Sport 93 octane tune on it. No idea what kind of horsepower the engine put out but based on the number of engine mounts it tore up and the sound of the tires when floored at 30 mph, it's better than stock. I really get a kick out of the Cruiser because it's so docile looking. At a little less than 3,200 pounds and probably in the 230hp range it's a dog compared to the 556 hp Cadillac CTS-V but my '87 Corvette weighs a little over 3,200 pounds with a 240hp engine (but 80 more ft-lbs) needed headers, roller rockers and a few other mods to be as much fun. And folks don't think of Corvettes as whimps

 

[Blackbyrd]

I also put a Diablo Sport 93 octane tune on it. No idea what kind of horsepower the engine put out but based on the number of engine mounts it tore up and the sound of the tires when floored at 30 mph, it's better than stock. I really get a kick out of the Cruiser because it's so docile looking. At a little less than 3,200 pounds and probably in the 230hp range it's a dog compared to the 556 hp Cadillac CTS-V but my '87 Corvette weighs a little over 3,200 pounds with a 240hp engine (but 80 more ft-lbs) needed headers, roller rockers and a few other mods to be as much fun. And folks don't think of Corvettes as whimps

Exactly! Modern day v6 cars put out old school small block v8 power these days. The sound ***** though.....

When I built the stroker motor in my firebird in 07 having a ls 500+ wheel HP street car was kind of rare. Now a days if you aren't touching 600 horse you're slow. Car scene changed a lot from 2010 to 2020. That kind of raw power plus reliability in a street car is crazy.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Well I kept at until the very end of the year, all the cuts are finished now and it's tacked in at the 3 cut lines. Top line is almost solid about 60% filled in is what I'd call this? So did I get done everything I wanted not quite but man did I make a dent! Since the middle of December despite traveling for the holidays to inlaws and holiday party's and gathers I got the following finished

Made and welded in a patch for the dash
Made and welded patches for the rear window tray
Made and tacked in driver qter patch (not finished)
Removed the driver trunk dropdown
Stripped everything in that area
Welded trim holes on both doors
Got pass qtr lined up and cut
Started stitching it in.

I wanted to get all the above done and finished and potentially get the back half in primer.......

But considering all i had going on i should be happy with what I did get done.

Thanks everyone for following along on this project.

Happy New Year to all!

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Definitely have made a ton of progress, Happy New Year!

 

[Blackbyrd]

2025 shop update!

I had an odd moment when working in the garage.... had a flashback to when this space was a dream. When I had a cheap 30 inch craftsman 2 stack, a free metal table with a vice, and an air compressor hidden in a basement bathroom fiberglass shower to muffle the sound with the hose coming out through the drop down cieling and over the wall that didn't meet the cieling.....

Now I'm setting with 2 of my dream cars and building my 3rd in a functional shop that puts a big dumb grin on my face. Coming to the realization I chased the dream for so long I kind of missed I was living it......

Nostalgia over thanks for following along

My husky's were unimpressed with the quantity of sky dandruff we got today.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Turtle seems to like it!

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Good reminder for us all to take a step back from the daily grind and look where we have gotten to. Sometimes constantly chasing and working on stuff might make us forget.

The one in the foreground has a look on his face that says, "what is this tease".

 

[zmotorsports]

My son and I had a similar conversation last night about humble beginnings. My son knows nothing of working in less than ideal conditions and I lived it for so long all I could think about was having an actual workshop.

Glad you are living your dream and not afraid to reflect back on the journey to get there.

 

[Xti04]

Agree 100% ! I remember lying in my crappy asphalt driveway freezing in the rain doing a steering rack because that was the space I had to work in. Fast forward 19 years and I have an amazing space I never would of dreamed of having. Extremely fortunate to have what I do and the skills to make this building pay for itself. Flip side of that is I have to work out there constantly to pay for it all. I am also getting shop time with my son and teaching him how to do stuff that will benefit him at some point in time. I hope that in time my older son will come out and find something out there that piques his curiosity.

 

[madison069]

Some nice progress on the camaro! Body work is a time-consuming process, and it's one I don't really enjoy. I Like the before and after part of body work, just not the in between...


As for reflection on your beginning, it's something we should all do to keep in check with ourselves. Not realizing the progress that was made can make a person disappointed and sometime depressed. I remember starting in an open carport and done so many field repairs in the sand and mud that I'm happy to have a heated garage with a concrete floor.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Thanks for chiming in! I know my steady updates aren't anything drastic and in some cases don't look like much got done haha.

My buddy that got the firehawk last year got in my head. I have an abs delete kit onnthe way for my firebird. Something that's been on my list for a long time, I'd shared that with him cause he was asking some questions about his car. When I shared it he jokingly said you are never satisfied are you?

You know how when you are working with your hands you can go into auto pilot sometimes and your just in our own head.... that came into my brain haha. Too a degree he is right, there's always something I want to do or add. Or something I did as my skills have advanced I've thought of a better way to do it? That got me to thinking how far that particular car has come and than I began to think about how my garage started when we moved into this house.

Guess thst nostalgic spurt isn't over yet huh haha.

Cars weren't part of my family? Dad wasn't into them i didn't haven't cool uncle or anything. Just something I found interest in? I was never a mechanic by any means, but I learned as I went. Refused to pay people for simple things. I habit that spread into multiple facettes of my life. That nack to figure it out or find a way lead to a great career that funds the fun.

I hope as my son gets older we start to share that, and pass down that nack for solving and fixing.

 

[Cdubu52]

Its so easy to take everything for granted. Its tough to appreciate what we have without noticing what we dont. I think your step back to appreciate these things is good reminder for all of us to do the same. Thats a great lesson to bring in the new year! Keep updating and we will keep watching!

 

[Bob Heine]

Now I'm setting with 2 of my dream cars and building my 3rd in a functional shop that puts a big dumb grin on my face. Coming to the realization I chased the dream for so long I kind of missed I was living it......

Adam, I hope you don't mind but I'm copying your post to my "Luckiest Day of My Life" thread. It's so easy to focus on the things we don't have rather than find joy in the things we do.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Adam, I hope you don't mind but I'm copying your post to my "Luckiest Day of My Life" thread. It's so easy to focus on the things we don't have rather than find joy in the things we do.

I don't mind a bit! I didn't realize when I posted that it would resonante with folks. Just another reason I enjoy this forum so much. So many like minded people.

 

[Bob Heine]

Adam, I should have checked back here before I hit the "Post reply" button in my thread. I know how to use the Delete post function so thanks for the OK. You are so right about this forum being a sanctuary for good people to share a bit of their lives and loves.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Doing an abs delete on my firebird has been on my list for a long time. Ever since I swapped to a 9 inch rear abs hasnt worked since that deleted the rear speed sensor. So in comes this kit and new brake lines to boot.

Everything from the master cylinder all the way to the calipers is gone (well will be) so that will clean up the driver side a lot as well.

While I'm under neath I'll figure out where my fuel leak is and clean up the underside a bit.

 

[madison069]

Doing an abs delete on my firebird has been on my list for a long time. Ever since I swapped to a 9 inch rear abs hasnt worked since that deleted the rear speed sensor. So in comes this kit and new brake lines to boot.

Everything from the master cylinder all the way to the calipers is gone (well will be) so that will clean up the driver side a lot as well.

While I'm under neath I'll figure out where my fuel leak is and clean up the underside a bit.

What does a ABS delete kit consist of? Is it basically taking out the ABS module and just having brake lines run from the new master cylinder that is non-ABS model to the wheel calipers? What about the computer and the annoying ABS light?

 

[Blackbyrd]

What does a ABS delete kit consist of? Is it basically taking out the ABS module and just having brake lines run from the new master cylinder that is non-ABS model to the wheel calipers? What about the computer and the annoying ABS light?

I'm not sure I've mentioned how much of a Frankenstein this car is?

Very little of stock equipment is left of enabled.

Here's the guage cluster, it doesn't have most of the warning lights anymore. The engine is on a stand alone harness so it doesn't communicate with the BCM. So the ecm has all the warning lights disabled for ABS, airbag, fan relays, cruise control..... vats. All that nonsense.... but if any of those systems get a fault they go inop and leave the light on. Some can tell the ecm not to allow engine start, but since they aren't communicating it doesn't matter.


I'd like to go through the factory wiring at this point and get rid of what's still there but not hooked up. All the engine related wiring is still there but disconnected obviously, but it's not like it's in the way and its mostly hidden at this point so is it worth the effort?

The kit consists of new main lines, i also got new caliper lines as well so it would all match. It circumvent the abs module and runs lines directly to the front and rear. Includes a proportional valve for the rear to set proper brake bias.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

...but it's not like it's in the way and its mostly hidden at this point so is it worth the effort?

Sounds like a project for a rainy week when you're really really bored!

 

[bj383ss]

That's an interesting gauge setup Adam. I want to keep mine all stock I am happy with my gauge setup. I have the 160mph speedo. I'm never going faster than that. I have an electric Autometer gauge that tells me the actual engine coolant temp vs the fake gauge.

But I would like to eventually delete at least all the emissions stuff. My car will be exempt from all testing next year and have its last safety inspection. I know there are probably tuners that go in and turn off all the warning lights.

Bret

 

[Blackbyrd]

@bj383ss

Well part of that stand alone harness ment figuring out guages... it was gonna take some effort to make the stock cluster work. Going full custom was actually easier believe it or not.

Yeah HPtuners allows you to setup the ecm to ignore specific fault codes. I have plans to redo the cluster and I'm probably gonna put that off a little longer. Guage setups have become vastly more expensive since I dis this setup....

 

[bj383ss]

@bj383ss

Well part of that stand alone harness ment figuring out guages... it was gonna take some effort to make the stock cluster work. Going full custom was actually easier believe it or not.

Yeah HPtuners allows you to setup the ecm to ignore specific fault codes. I have plans to redo the cluster and I'm probably gonna put that off a little longer. Guage setups have become costly more expensive since I dis this setup....

That's right I did a bunch of research on HPtuners last year. I think if I remember correctly I have to buy 2 credits for my Camaro. It also would allow me to dial down the torque management as that is no longer an issue with the fully built 4L65E I have now. I hoping I can get some of those chirps during the 1-2 gear change under throttle.

My dad's 64 El Camino had a 283/PG.(When I was a kid) When he finally had to get a new trans he put in a TH350 with a street/strip shift kit and it would chirp the skinny tires every time you got on it from 1st to 2nd gear. I loved it.

Bret

 

[Blackbyrd]

That's right I did a bunch of research on HPtuners last year. I think if I remember correctly I have to buy 2 credits for my Camaro. It also would allow me to dial down the torque management as that is no longer an issue with the fully built 4L65E I have now. I hoping I can get some of those chirps during the 1-2 gear change under throttle.

My dad's 64 El Camino had a 283/PG.(When I was a kid) When he finally had to get a new trans he put in a TH350 with a street/strip shift kit and it would chirp the skinny tires every time you got on it from 1st to 2nd gear. I loved it.

Bret

Yes! Trq management pulls timing to soften shifts even at wot!!! Terrible for performance!

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Yes! Trq management pulls timing to soften shifts even at wot!!! Terrible for performance!

But keeps a stock 4L60E from gaining 5 extra neutrals

 

[Blackbyrd]

But keeps a stock 4L60E from gaining 5 extra neutrals

No that is inevitable..... nothing keeps the 4l60e from 5 neutrals hahaha

 

[Bob Heine]

Doing an abs delete on my firebird has been on my list for a long time.

Adam, I feel your pain and in my world, abs is not my friend.

First car I owned with abs was a '79 BMW 733i I bought in 1987. The abs quit working after I flushed the system and was causing brake calipers to engage in random order. Went to the BMW dealer and inquired about a kit or rebuilt unit. No kits and no rebuilt units but for $2,500 ($6,600 in current pesos) they could order one from Germany (it was a gray market car). I asked how much two T-fittings would cost and I went home only $36 poorer. A few hours with a new set of Craftsman flare wrenches and much pedal pushing and the car stopped straight.

Second car with abs is my '87 Corvette. Light came on so I replaced the relays. Disconnected a couple of fittings to see if fluid was flowing, rounding over several very stubborn fittings in the process. Price of a couple of small lines from GM was more expensive than a complete set of pre-bent stainless lines from Inline Tube. Was surprised at the size of the box (it wasn't that long) but the long ones had an extra bend.

Not wanting to mess with the original abs pump, I bought a used one an took it all apart, cleaned every part thoroughly and put it back together.

Unlike your Pontiac under-hood abs, the one in the C4 Corvette is behind the driver seat with some fittings requiring the cover on the bottom to be removed. Getting it back in the hole required a bit of woodworking to keep everything aligned and in position. Would have been easier with two people or one with three hands.

While putting it all back together, I touched one of the ABS sensor cables. The insulation disintegrated and so did the unique connector.

Fun with a new crimper and weather pack connectors ensued. Red braided covers over the shrink tubing made it clear to the world these were not factory.

I've learned to live with an abs warning light in the center panel.

Guage setups have become vastly more expensive since I dis this setup.

Adam, I thought they were expensive way back when. I decided the stock gauges on the '72 Corvette worked well enough and looked into having them refurbished or replaced with aftermarket. Decided against a second mortgages and re-faced the gauges in white with a kit from WhiteGauges.net. It was better than me trying to touch up the original gauges.

My dad's 64 El Camino had a 283/PG.(When I was a kid) When he finally had to get a new trans he put in a TH350 with a street/strip shift kit and it would chirp the skinny tires every time you got on it from 1st to 2nd gear. I loved it.

Bret, when I was consulting for AOL I blew the sprag clutch on the company car, my '87 Corvette (hey, the IRS doesn't specify what qualifies, just that it's used primarily by the business). I was too busy with the paying job to rebuild the 700R4 so I paid someone to overbuild it and install a modified valve body. It was actually a better deduction than fuel and oil changes. A full-throttle 1-2 shift breaks the tires loose and shift the car sideways just enough to scare the **** out of anyone not expecting it. The two 255/50 16 radials makes quite a chirp.

 

[madison069]

The gauge cluster on the camaro is a Dakota Digital VHX, it was $900 shipped to my door. Wasn't what i really wanted to spend on gauges but the original gauges was questionable in performance and they costed just as much as the new gauges to get refurbished.

Speaking of, I still need to calibrate the speedometer.

 

[Blackbyrd]

@Bob Heine I've worked on a c4 vette a few times, but didn't know that's where the abs was!

I was helping a buddy move one to a storage unit and the battery was toast and the car died on the way...... it was 8 degrees out that night. I had to help him swap out the battery in a parking lot. We had to take turns setting in my truck keeping out hands warm!

Yeah I want to redo the guages for something less retro in the 01. I've priced a set from speed hut several times but it's gonna be 700 bucks or so so I keep putting it off. I'll have to do a lot more to make a new cluster work.

I havnt even thought about what I'll do with the 71.....

 

[madison069]

@Bob Heine I've worked on a c4 vette a few times, but didn't know that's where the abs was!

I was helping a buddy move one to a storage unit and the battery was toast and the car died on the way...... it was 8 degrees out that night. I had to help him swap out the battery in a parking lot. We had to take turns setting in my truck keeping out hands warm!

Yeah I want to redo the guages for something less retro in the 01. I've priced a set from speed hut several times but it's gonna be 700 bucks or so so I keep putting it off. I'll have to do a lot more to make a new cluster work.

I havnt even thought about what I'll do with the 71.....

Dakota Digital is nice and they have the gauge holder made for the 71 Camaro dash so you can use the original gauge cluster bezel. Hardest part was wiring the module in the dash area as it was getting tight with AC ducts in the way. They have a set that looks like the factory style with the orange needles, but they were up in price, I think $1,500 or so. I opted for the VHX as it met all of my needs. If you decide to stick with original gauges, I got a set on the shelf I can send you for extras as you work on getting a good set. I can't guarantee they work though as I pulled them out of a 77 Camaro, I think it was, that was just a parts car.

 

[Blackbyrd]

I got a long way to go before I get there, but I will keep that in mind! I'm not even sure what I wanna do for the interior yet?

 

[Blackbyrd]

Friday was in the mid 50's before it plummeted to single digits..... so i took advantage to give both the girls a winter wash. I need to get some indoor covers I think? Or stop grinding on my old camaro.....

So every now and then I get this need to be creative and come up with something and even if I have other things going on..... i gotta get it out of my system.

So I'd made this closeout panel a while ago but boogers up the hole for the coolant overflow reservoir. Been noodling on how to fix it and make it look more elegant than an oversized hole. Dimple dies are expensive..... exhaust reducers are cheap. Little more cleanup to do, but the hard stuff is done. Now figure out how to mount it and move onto my abs delete so I can make a mirrored cover.

 

[Blackbyrd]

In 2nd gen news, first pass on the qtr skin weld clean up is done. Everything is lining up really well, just got a lot more to go before it's done.

In other news the high today was 18 degrees...... Charlie and Pika were content outside.

 

[madison069]

The Camaro's quarters are shaping up nicely!

 

[Blackbyrd]

So the quarter is still fighting me. I ended up having to cut a section out and make another patch. Didn't notice it at the time, but it sunk in. I tried using a slide hammer and studs to pull the sunken section back out, but the minute I hit it with some heat in dipped back in. So I got tired of fighting it.....

2nd pass below body line is in place just gotta grind it down. Hopefully there's minimal to work on after that.